Thunderbolts* Opening Weekend: Smash Hit or MCU Misfire?

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Most studios would quaff Champagne if their new film made $76 million on opening weekend.

There are exceptions, of course.

Sequels often set their sights on earning at least $100 million, serving as a celebratory benchmark. For instance, the forthcoming “Avatar” sequel is anticipated to surpass this figure when it debuts in December.

So where does that leave “Thunderbolts*?”

In the past weekend, the most recent Marvel Cinematic Universe journey claimed the top spot, earning an impressive $76 million. Traditional media outlets celebrated this victory as a triumph for the struggling franchise.

The LA Times and The Hollywood Reporter dubbed it “solid.”

The BBC called it a “hit.”

New Media outlets beg to differ on “Thunderbolts*’s” box office results.

John Nolte at Breitbart News calls it a “disappointment,” and he backs it up with some data points.

Among the 34 Marvel Cinematic Universe films, Thunderbolts* has the 28th highest opening weekend earnings, trailing behind titles like Captain America: Brave New World ($89 million), Guardians of the Galaxy ($94 million), and even Iron Man, which was released 17 years ago and brought in $102 million. Even Black Widow, a film released during the pandemic and simultaneously on Disney+, managed to open with $80 million.

The Right-leaning Bleeding Fool has a similar take:

Thunderbolts” is categorized alongside less successful Marvel Cinematic Universe releases such as “Eternals” and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” which were considered disappointing financial performances by Marvel’s standards due to their lower box office earnings of $71 million and $75 million, respectively.

It helped Team MCU that no other major title opened against “Thunderbolts*.”

Both sides have a point.

Movie ticket sales have been inconsistent due to COVID-19, but many films have surprised experts by exceeding expectations since the worldwide outbreak.

  • “A Minecraft Movie”
  • “Barbie”
  • “Deadpool & Wolverine”
  • “Inside Out 2”
  • “Oppenheimer”
  • “Sinners”

The “But COVID” excuse is no more.

Mainstream media outlets frequently present news from Disney’s perspective, whether discussing their clash with Governor Ron DeSantis or their efforts to promote more progressive narratives.

Right-leaning outlets, aghast at Disney’s progressive makeover, crunch the numbers. Hard.

It’s clear that the influence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) continues to captivate us, as evidenced by the impressive $76 million box office debut for a team-up movie that doesn’t star characters like the Hulk or Iron Man.

You could ask a hundred random people who John Walker is, and many may not recognize him. This is because he portrays a somewhat patriotic character in the movie, as played by Wyatt Russell.

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The MCU’s current problem is similar to other movie studios. The movies cost too much money.

Marvel’s “Thunderbolts” might bid farewell to the big screen with an impressive $400 million worldwide earnings, but it seems highly improbable that this figure would suffice to cover both its production costs and promotional expenditures.

Or in a more conversational style:

Wow, if “Thunderbolts” manages to earn $400 million globally during its theatrical run, it’ll be quite an achievement! However, considering the substantial budget and marketing expenses, it’s probably safe to say that we won’t see this movie making a profit anytime soon.

1) Oral recommendations are going to be crucial for the newest MCU movie’s success. In the future, the series needs to either reduce expenses or, simply put, produce higher-quality films.

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2025-05-05 20:03